Stony Brook University has announced that Professor Marci Lobel, a distinguished teaching professor in the Department of Psychology, has been awarded a Fulbright Distinguished Scholar Award for 2025-2026. This prestigious award is presented by the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board to scholars with substantial experience in their fields.
Professor Lobel's research focuses on stress, coping, and their effects on health, particularly reproductive health. Her work has demonstrated the harmful impact of stress on pregnant women and their offspring and identified factors that can either increase or alleviate stress levels.
In January 2026, Professor Lobel will begin her tenure at Masaryk University in the Czech Republic. There she will conduct research on stress among pregnant Czech women and teach a course titled "Psychology of Women’s Health," which she initially introduced at Stony Brook University. This course serves as a model for similar courses at other universities.
Joanne Davila, chair of the Department of Psychology at Stony Brook University, expressed her support: “We’re thrilled that Dr. Lobel has received this award. She’s so well deserving of it. It’s an important opportunity both for her and for her colleagues in the Czech Republic.”
Professor Lobel emphasizes the importance of understanding women's unique health experiences: “Our research and other studies confirm that high stress during pregnancy increases risk for low birthweight and preterm birth, which are major contributors to poor health and development in infants, children, and adults.” She further stated that studying prenatal stress is crucial for prevention and intervention efforts to improve health outcomes.
David Wrobel, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Stony Brook University, congratulated Professor Lobel: “My sincere congratulations to Distinguished Professor Marci Lobel on this wonderful news. The prestigious Fulbright program is a fantastic opportunity for Professor Lobel to continue the important work she is doing to expand knowledge of women’s health.”
Professor Lobel has been part of Stony Brook University's faculty for 35 years and holds a joint appointment in Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Medicine at Stony Brook Medicine. Her academic background includes an undergraduate degree from Harvard University and a PhD from UCLA.
The Fulbright Distinguished Scholar awards are considered some of the most prestigious appointments within the Fulbright Scholar Program. These awards aim to foster mutual understanding between host institutions through active engagement by scholars like Professor Lobel.